More bad news for David Hahn, as the Transportation Safety Board has issued one of its now famous "warnings" to the BC Ferry Corporation. This time over the issue of drug use on the Queen of the North and other Northern routes.
The Globe and Mail has a report posted on line, that outlines how Transportation Safety Board investigators interviewed enough members of BC Ferries in the North, and as a result of those interviews determined that several members of the crew of the Queen of the North regularly smoked cannabis between shifts, both on board and off the vessel.
John Cottreau, a spokesperson with the Transportation Safety Board said that the warning was designed to "express concern and to highlight the risk of such behaviour. He said the warning has been sent to both B.C. Ferry Services and the B.C. Ferry and Marineworkers' Union."
The Transportation Safety Board is suggesting that BC Ferries determine whether marijuana is in use by crews of other vessels or whether it was isolated to the Queen of the North or whether it is widespread in the fleet.
They urged the Ferry Corporation to act quickly on the issue and to review its internal policies on alcohol and drug use.
The Ferry Corporation can most likely expect to be the butt of jokes for the next little while, as word of the prospect of a flotilla of potheads makes its way east and south, to areas that already suspect the worst of British Columbians...
TSB raises concerns about drugs on BC Ferries
SCOTT SUTHERLAND
The Canadian Press
October 17, 2007 at 11:55 AM EDT
VICTORIA — Evidence of wide-spread marijuana use on BC Ferries' northern routes has prompted a warning from the Transportation Safety Board.
The official "board concern" stems from the investigation into the sinking of the Queen of the North in March, 2006.
Spokesman John Cottreau said evidence of pot smoking surfaced in a series of follow-up interviews conducted by TSB investigators.
“We interviewed enough people who told us the crews were regularly smoking cannabis, and a pattern began to emerge,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press from Gatineau, Que.
“We have reason now to believe the practice continues and ... may not be isolated to a few individuals.”
The board concern was issued after the TSB learned that several crew of the Queen of the North regularly smoked cannabis between shifts, both on board and off the vessel.
It stressed, however, that there is no evidence of impairment among the crew on the bridge at the time the ferry plowed at full speed into Gil Island.
The Queen of the North sank on March 22, 2006, a little more than an hour after the grounding that claimed the lives of two B.C. residents.
Mr. Cottreau said the TSB wanted both to express concern and to highlight the risk of such behaviour. He said the warning has been sent to both B.C. Ferry Services and the B.C. Ferry and Marineworkers' Union.
“Ferry crews whose performance is impaired by cannabis are a clear risk to the travelling public,” Wendy Tadros, chairwoman of the board, said in a TSB release.
“We are confident that BC Ferries will determine the extent of the problem and effectively manage this risk so it will not lead to a serious accident.”
As a first step, the TSB suggests that BC Ferries determine whether marijuana is in use by crews of other vessels or whether it was isolated to the Queen of the North and review the effectiveness of the company's policy on alcohol and drug use.
And it wants the company to act quickly.
“I can tell you that indications are that there is cannabis use and we're concerned that it involves cannabis use in safety sensitive positions,” Mr. Cottreau said.
BC Ferries has not yet commented on the board concern.
The Globe and Mail has a report posted on line, that outlines how Transportation Safety Board investigators interviewed enough members of BC Ferries in the North, and as a result of those interviews determined that several members of the crew of the Queen of the North regularly smoked cannabis between shifts, both on board and off the vessel.
John Cottreau, a spokesperson with the Transportation Safety Board said that the warning was designed to "express concern and to highlight the risk of such behaviour. He said the warning has been sent to both B.C. Ferry Services and the B.C. Ferry and Marineworkers' Union."
The Transportation Safety Board is suggesting that BC Ferries determine whether marijuana is in use by crews of other vessels or whether it was isolated to the Queen of the North or whether it is widespread in the fleet.
They urged the Ferry Corporation to act quickly on the issue and to review its internal policies on alcohol and drug use.
The Ferry Corporation can most likely expect to be the butt of jokes for the next little while, as word of the prospect of a flotilla of potheads makes its way east and south, to areas that already suspect the worst of British Columbians...
TSB raises concerns about drugs on BC Ferries
SCOTT SUTHERLAND
The Canadian Press
October 17, 2007 at 11:55 AM EDT
VICTORIA — Evidence of wide-spread marijuana use on BC Ferries' northern routes has prompted a warning from the Transportation Safety Board.
The official "board concern" stems from the investigation into the sinking of the Queen of the North in March, 2006.
Spokesman John Cottreau said evidence of pot smoking surfaced in a series of follow-up interviews conducted by TSB investigators.
“We interviewed enough people who told us the crews were regularly smoking cannabis, and a pattern began to emerge,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press from Gatineau, Que.
“We have reason now to believe the practice continues and ... may not be isolated to a few individuals.”
The board concern was issued after the TSB learned that several crew of the Queen of the North regularly smoked cannabis between shifts, both on board and off the vessel.
It stressed, however, that there is no evidence of impairment among the crew on the bridge at the time the ferry plowed at full speed into Gil Island.
The Queen of the North sank on March 22, 2006, a little more than an hour after the grounding that claimed the lives of two B.C. residents.
Mr. Cottreau said the TSB wanted both to express concern and to highlight the risk of such behaviour. He said the warning has been sent to both B.C. Ferry Services and the B.C. Ferry and Marineworkers' Union.
“Ferry crews whose performance is impaired by cannabis are a clear risk to the travelling public,” Wendy Tadros, chairwoman of the board, said in a TSB release.
“We are confident that BC Ferries will determine the extent of the problem and effectively manage this risk so it will not lead to a serious accident.”
As a first step, the TSB suggests that BC Ferries determine whether marijuana is in use by crews of other vessels or whether it was isolated to the Queen of the North and review the effectiveness of the company's policy on alcohol and drug use.
And it wants the company to act quickly.
“I can tell you that indications are that there is cannabis use and we're concerned that it involves cannabis use in safety sensitive positions,” Mr. Cottreau said.
BC Ferries has not yet commented on the board concern.
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